"They explained to me how difficult it is to find an accepting roommate," Joan Carbone, the executive director of residence life at Rutgers told MycentralNewJersey.com.

Steven Goldstein, head of Garden State Equality, told The Star-Ledger that he supported the new policy - but said more needs to be done to protect homosexuals.

"Our experience is that students get bullied both by students of the same gender and the opposite gender, so integrated housing may be a step. But it's not nearly enough and cannot substitute for more comprehensive anti-bullying policy."

Rutgers came under fire last year following the death of freshman Tyler Clementi. He killed himself days after his male roommate allegedly filmed an encounter between Clementi and a male companion.

The university said heterosexual students will also be permitted to live in rooms with students of the opposite sex.